Book Reviews
10 Powerful Ideas for Improving Patient Care – Book 3
Maureen Bisognano and Robert Lloyd
The book is filled with dozens of practical tips for improving clinical quality as well as patient satisfaction.
Lynne CunninghamThe Art of Original Thinking: The Making of a Thought Leader
Jan Phillips
The book includes thousands of examples of interconnectedness in the world as well as innovative and unique ways to view challenges and turn problems into opportunities. It is a very deep thinking book – not at all a simple read. This is a book...
Lynne CunninghamTrue North
Bill George
Excellent – a must read for any leader seeking validation that having integrity and being true to your personal values makes good business sense. The exercises are thought-provoking and can lead to powerful introspection or team dialogue.
Lynne CunninghamWe Carry Each Other: Getting through life's toughest times; what to say, what to do, how to care with compassion
Eric and Sharon Langshur, founders of CarePages with Mary Beth Sammons
An incredible "connect to purpose" book by the founders of CarePages. CarePages are interactive web pages which patients and their families can set up to stay in touch with their extended circle of family and friends. CarePages are a gift the hospital...
Lynne CunninghamWho's Your Bubba?
T. Bubba Bechtol
If you're not laughing out loud when you finish Aunt Betty's story, maybe it's time to reassess your priorities. The book is irreverent and not always politically correct. Bubba is definitely a red neck. Just thought you'd like to know.
Lynne CunninghamWhy is everyone smiling? How to turn a commodity business into a great place to work
Paul Spiegelman
This is a great book. Spiegelman describes the ABC’s for becoming a great company - from building the brand to become a premium provider while at the same time being a top place to work. The first-person, connect to purpose employee stories at ...
Lynne CunninghamYOU, the smart patient: An Insider's Handbook for Getting the Best Treatment
Michael F. Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet C. Oz, M.D. with The Joint Commission
The book starts with a 40-question quiz followed by 10 chapters of information on how to be a smarter patient. Great checklists for everything from choosing a PCP to having surgery and selecting a hospital and alternative medicine practitioners. The ...
Lynne CunninghamA Marketer’s Guide to Measuring ROI: Tools to track the returns from healthcare marketing efforts
David Marlow
I could hear David lecturing on this topic as I read the book in his very friendly, yet professorial style. This is a basic text that will help marketers demonstrate their value to the organization. I really liked the "Author's Note" reminders of highlights...
Lynne CunninghamCollaborate for Success! Breakthrough Strategies for Engaging Physicians, Nurses and Hospital Executives
Kenneth H. Cohn
Well researched book with real return on investment examples on the best ways to involve and communicate with physicians. ROI examples cover everything from facility design to patient care and risk exposure. Case studies are excellent. Easy to read with...
Lynne CunninghamBecoming a Conflict Competent Leader: How you and your organization can manage conflict effectively
Craig E. Runde and Tim A. Flanagan
Most of us can't avoid conflict. But we can learn to work through conflicts more quickly and productively. This book has excellent tips for resolving work place conflict with co-workers. The suggestions can easily be adapted to personal and other non...
Lynne CunninghamCourage: The Backbone of Leadership
Gus Lee
Certainly one of the best books I've read this year. There are wonderful lessons for any leader – or emerging leader. The book includes lots of examples both from health care as well as other industries
Lynne CunninghamDeath by Meeting: A leadership fable about solving the most painful problem in business
Patrick Lencioni
An outstanding book that every leader who chairs or participates in meetings needs to read. The fable is easy-to-read and the model is simple to follow. It's practical advice for a common business challenge – too many, non-productive meetings.
Lynne CunninghamGetting Things Done
David Allen
The first organization and time management book I've read which was written since the advent of e-mail. Lots of very good tips that make real-world sense.
Lynne CunninghamHealth Care Co-ops in Uganda: Effectively launching micro health groups in African villages
George C. Halvorson
Halvorson documents the success the team at Health Partners (the health plan he led in Minnesota before moving to Kaiser Permanente) had in establishing self-sustaining health care co-ops in Uganda. It's a remarkable story of an organization that was...
Lynne CunninghamMarketing Matters: A Guide for Healthcare Executives
Richard K. Thomas and Michael Calhoun
I was disappointed in the book. It seemed to be targeted more to the marketing director who wants to understand the C-suite execs than to the CEO who needs to better understand why marketing is an important part of the senior executive skill set.
Critical...
Masterpieces in Health Care Leadership: Cases and Analysis for Best Practice
Editors: Vince Pelote and Lynne Route
This book really demonstrates the power of story telling. The case studies are long but well written and edited. The nine case studies include some award winners and are all organizations with a passion for their work. The case studies include ED, environmental...
Lynne CunninghamOne Page Management
Riaz Khadem, Ph.D. and Robert Lorber, Ph.D.
One Page Management was rediscovered in a den cleaning frenzy recently. I re-read it and highly recommend it to anyone having issues with accountability, hardwiring and consistent deployment of tools, tactics and behaviors needed to move your ...
Lynne CunninghamThe Primary Care-Market Share Connection: How hospitals achieve competitive advantage
Marc D. Halley
A good assessment of the role primary care physicians play in channeling patients to hospitals, specialists and ambulatory services. Halley presents basic marketing lessons that have been largely forgotten by many providers.
Lynne CunninghamRedefining Health Care: Creating Value-Based Competition on Results
Michael E. Porter and Elizabeth Olmsted Teisberg
This is a well-researched book. It includes a tremendous amount of data to support ROI. This should be required reading for all Presidential candidates! Your planning and research departments will be interested in the entire book. For the rest of you...
Lynne CunninghamReinventing the Patient Experience: Strategies for Hospital Leaders
Jon B. Christianson, et. al.
This book will be a wonderful resource for any organization considering an integrative approach to the care experience. The well-researched case studies are augmented with a dialogue among execs from the case study organizations. These hospitals have...
Lynne CunninghamRelationship-Based Care: A model for transforming practice
Mary Koloroutis, Editor
A very good book about change in the health care environment. The examples are very nursing-centric – but that's certainly a key target audience for health care leaders. Several excellent tools with broad application.
Lynne CunninghamThe Resilient Enterprise: Overcoming Vulnerability for Competitive Advantage
Yossi Sheffi
Lots of food for thought for health care organizations that must deal with natural disasters as well as potential supply chain disruptions.
Lynne CunninghamResults That Last: Hardwiring Behaviors That Will Take Your Company to the Top
Quint Studer
Quint Studer's long-awaited new book for general business is out and well worth the wait. Health care leaders should read the book to gain a fresh perspective on why the Studer Group Principles, Must Haves and Evidence-Based Leadership best practice ...
Lynne CunninghamSetting the Table
Danny Meyer
This is a great book for anyone contemplating a new business venture within your organization, with a new organization or as an entrepreneur. The book is poorly proofed but an easy read.
Lynne CunninghamLeadership for Smooth Patient Flow: Improved Outcomes, Improved Service, Improved Bottom Line
Kirk Jensen, Thom A. Mayer, Shari J. Welch, Carol Haraden
The authors describe many tools and processes that are completely aligned with the work done by Studer Group. They document the impact of these "Quint-essential" behaviors. This is an incredibly well-researched book that will be a reference for every...
Lynne CunninghamSurvival of the Sickest: A medical maverick discovers why we need disease
Dr. Sharon Moalem with Jonathan Prince
A fascinating and well-researched book that looks at little-known connections between environmental and chemical influences on human disease.
Lynne CunninghamThe Complete Guide to Hospital Marketing
Patrick T. Buckley
I wish this book had been available when I was teaching health care marketing graduate classes. Good glossary. Good summaries for each chapter. I really liked the "you be the marketer" sections at the end of each chapter for self assessment or use in...
Lynne CunninghamThe End of Medicine: How Silicon Valley (and naked mice) will reboot your doctor
Andy Kessler
This is a futuristic look at diagnosis and treatment in a technologically advanced era. Kessler's focus is on prevention. The writing style is conversational so it's an easy, almost fun, book to read. In spite of this, Kessler was still unable to explain...
Lynne CunninghamThe Power of Nice: How to conquer the business world with kindness
Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval
An easy read with many valuable lessons about succeeding in business while focusing on the positive.
Lynne CunninghamThe Ring in the Rubble: Dig through change and find your next golden opportunity
Gary Brandt
A great book about change and the importance of work/life balance. This book would be great for a Leadership Development Institute preassignment. The "Dig a Little Deeper" questions at the end of each chapter can provide the structure for LDI or book...
Lynne CunninghamThe Simple Truths of Service
Ken Blanchard and Barbara Glanz
Just a little book but it packs a series of powerful "making a difference" stories.
Lynne CunninghamTransitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes
William Bridges
If you're a baby boomer starting to think "what's next?" you need to buy, read and highlight this very important book. William Bridges has updated this best seller for its 25th anniversary and for all of us starting to plan the next steps on our personal...
Lynne Cunningham